Page 260 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10

But instead of understanding my silent demand, she looked over my shoulder as Tyler stood up.

"Please stop fighting,” she said. “James, please just go. We can talk tomorrow, okay? Please."

And leave you here with Tyler? Not a chance in hell."Penny, do not make me carry you out of here,” I said.

"Hey, asshole! She asked you to leave." Something hit the back of my head.

I looked down at Tyler’s pirate sword. He’d literally just stabbed me in the back. I bet his dick was as weak as his plastic sword.

I rubbed the back of my head. But I didn’t break eye contact with Penny.Come with me. Now.I knew she knew what I was thinking.

But she still didn’t budge.

Suddenly the blood in my mouth tasted sour. The pounding in my head eased. The high of wanting to pulverize Tyler’s face subsided. And I was just…numb.

Penny didn’t want me here.

She didn’t want me at all.

I’d waited too long.

I’d missed my chance.

All the endorphins I was feeling from the fight evaporated. My high was gone.

Everyone was staring at us. I wasn’t sure if anyone could recognize me. Especially with all the blood on my face. But I’d made a scene. I’d punched a fucking student. And I don’t think the dean would care that the student was a dipshit. The longer I stayed here, letting people stare, the worse my odds were of going unrecognized.

"Okay," I said. I stared at Penny, waiting for her to change her mind, but she didn’t. I’d lost control. And she was staring at me like the monster I was.

This was what I’d wanted.

This was what I’d asked for.

No.I wanted her. I needed her. And I’d fucked everything up.

"Okay,” I said again. I couldn’t stand her staring at me like that. I wanted to remember when she stared at me with stars in her eyes. I wanted to drown in that memory. I would drown in that. I turned away from her and walked toward the stairs. I needed out of this dingy basement. I needed to somehow get the image of Penny kissing Tyler out of my head. I needed to wake up from this nightmare. I couldn’t have lost her. I couldn’t have.

I passed by Tyler on my way to the stairs.

“You should have heard her screaming my name,” he whispered.

And suddenly I wasn’t numb anymore. I’d tried to hold back during our fight. I really had. But he was just begging for me to beat his ass.

I tackled him. We fell onto the table they were using as a makeshift bar. Glass shattered everywhere, but I didn’t even feel it digging into my skin. I only had one train of thought. I punched Tyler across the face. Again and again. I was blinded by my own rage.

"What is wrong with you?!" Penny screamed. She tried to grab my arm, but she wasn’t strong enough to stop me. She kept screaming at the top of her lungs.

I landed one more punch and stood up before I knocked Tyler unconscious. As much as I wanted to kill him…I didn’t want to add homicide to the reasons Penny shouldn’t be with me.

Tyler slowly stood up.

He was like a parasite that just wouldn’t stop.

He took a swing and I stepped to the side to avoid it.

And a second too late I realized my mistake.

Penny had been right behind me. And Tyler’s fist landed on her stomach.